Automobile headlight



May 1935- J. E. CORNWALL AUTOMOBILE HEADLIGHT Filed Nov. 9, 1933INVENTOR.

ATTORNE s.

Patented May 14, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

desirable but often encountered glaring of headlights, are completelyeliminated.

A further object of the invention is the provision of such a headlightutilizing as its source of light a luminous tube which is completelyconcealed from the direct view of persons facing the lamps.

Still another object is the incorporation in such a lamp utilizing alight source comprising a luminous tube, of novel means, for projectingthe concentrated beam from said light source by means of a simpleparabolic reflector, as if from a point source, which beam possesses thegreat penetrating power characteristic of the light generated by gasfllled tubes, yet may be tinted somewhat, and the glare accordinglyfurther reduced.

A still further object is the provision of a light constructionincorporating the foregoing and other advantages, yet of very simple andinexpensive construction and conventional appearance, and in which novelfocusing means and supporting structure of improved and simplifiednature are provided.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription'wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawingillustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention, and wherein similarreference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 represents in vertical section, and somewhat diagrammatically,a headlight incorporating the principles of this invention Figure 2' isa front elevational thereof and Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showingsuit- 50 able wiring connections for the lamp and electricallyassociated elements.

Referring now to'the drawing, reference character 5 designates asupporting standard, which may be of the usual or any desiredconstruction, preferably hollow for passage of the feed wires which arefrequently responsible for the very unfor the lamp therethrough; Carriedby the standard is a lamp casing or shell I, which may be stamped orspun of sheet metal and of the conventional cupped or any suitableconfiguration. At its front extremity the shell is provided with agrooved and reduced portion 9, over which the bead ID of a bezel I2 isadapted to be snapped and frictionally held, or secured in any othersuitable manner. The bezel carries a transparent plate I4 which is urgedthereby against a gasket I5.

Within the shell 1, near its open mouth, is an annular supportingelement l6 which at its inner peripheral edge is provided with asubstantially cylindrical portion I1 adapted to slidably support theoutwardly flared rim I9 of a generally parabolic reflector 20. Thereflector is movable axially of itself and the casing by means of anadjusting screw 22 extending through the back of the casing and threadedinto a tapped sleeve 24 secured to and projecting from the rearlof thereflector. It will be seen that by adjusting the screw 22 the reflectormay be moved axially for focusing purposes, and that when so moved itsrim l9 slides in the supporting portion l1.

Also carried by the supporting member I 6, as by means of bracketmembers 26, is an annular luminous tube 25, which may be filled with anydesired gas. The brackets 26 may be of resilient spring metal adapted toyield under unduly severe shocks and so prevent their transmission tothe tube. The construction of the'tube-itself need not be considered indetail, since such details form no part of my invention and are alreadywell understood. It is sufficient to say that the tube is adapted toglow when energized by a high-frequency current of electricity Arrangedbehind the bezel and partly surrounding the glow tube 25 is a reflector28, generally of partly toroidal form, its shape and positioning beingsuch as to focus the lightemitted by the tube 25 at a point (30) withinthe casing substantially at the focal point of the parabolic reflector20. It will be apparent that from this point the reflector 20 will throwthe light forwardly in the form of a concentrated beam through the lens14, and that the characteristics of the beam may be varied by adjustingthe reflector, bymeans of screw 22, with relation to the point 30 atwhich. the light from the luminous tube is concentrated. The inner edgeof the reflector 28 may also support-the gasket I I5, as shown.

The tube 25 may be energized by means of a transformer, as 35, having ahigh voltage sec-' ondary 36 and a low voltage primary 31, supplied withpulsating direct current from a battery 38 in series with which isarranged a vibrating interrupter 35. The interrupter may of course beactuated by the core of the transformer in the conventional mannerindicated in Figure 3.

It will thus be seen that although the light source is of tubular formit is effectively focused to create a concentrated beam in a very'simple and efiective manner, while the tube light itself is not onlyhidden from view and protected against injury, but the construction bywhich these advantages are attained is one in which the parts are ofvery simple and self-reinforcing nature, numerous parts heretoforeconsidered necessary being entirely eliminated while full adjustabilityand easy assembly and accessibility are provided for.

While it will be apparent that the illustrated embodiment of theinvention herein disclosed is well calculated to adequately fulfill theobjects and advantages primarily set forth, it is to be understood thatthe invention is subject to variation, modification and change withinthe spirit and scope of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

' 1. An illuminating device comprising a dished exterior casing havingan open mouth and a substantially parabolic reflector therein, and axially movable within the casing and having its free edge terminatingshort of the mouth of the casing, means for moving the parabolicreflector axially, an annular supporting member arranged within andsubstantially at the mouth of the casing, a bearing portion carried bysaid suppor ing portion and slidably supporting and interfitting withthe free edge of the parabolic reflector, a substantially annularluminable tube carried by said supporting member adjacent the free edgeof said reflector, another reflector of generally partly toroidal formcarried by and interfitting with the opposite end of said supportingmember and projecting between the tube and open mouth of the casing,said last mentioned reflector being so disposed as to cast light fromthe tube towardthe focal point of the parabolic reflector, and thelatter being arranged to throw such light out the open mouth of thecasing, a transparent plate tightly connected to said partly toroidalreflector and to the casing and completing separate enclosure of thespace within said reflectors and supporting member and also closing theopen mouth of the exterior casing.

2. An illuminating device comprising a dished exterior casing having anopen mouth, a concaved reflector arranged and axially movable in thecasing, an annular supporting member arranged in and near the open mouthof the casing, a slideway portion carried by said supporting member andslidably interfitting with and supporting the free edge of thereflector, a looped luminous tube also carried by said supporting memberand extending around and near the free edge of the reflector, anadditional annular reflector carried by and interfitting with theopposite end of said supporting means and adapted to throw lightgenerated by the luminous tube toward the first mentioned reflector, atransparent plate closing the open mouth of said exterior casing, and aportion'providing sealing connection between said additional annularreflector and the transparent plate and completing enclosure of thespace within said reflectors and supporting member.

' JAMES E. CORNWALL.

